Electrically-controlled regulating valve



Sept.- 23 1924. 1,509,345

3. J. DUNKLEY ELECTRICALLY CONTROLLED REGULATING VALVE Filed Aug, 8, 1931 QE M Patented Sept. 23, 1924-.

' UNITED STATES 1,509,345 PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL J". DUNKLEY, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, ASSTGNOR '10 DUNKLEY COM- PANY, 0F KALAMAZQO, MICHIGAN.

ELEOTRICALLY-CONTROLLED REG'ULATING VALVE.

Application filed August 8, 1921. Serial No. $90,756.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL J. DUNKLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oakland, county of Alameda, State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrically-Controlled Regulating Valves, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in electrically controlled regulating valves.

The object of the invention is to provide a valve which may be very readily opened and closed electrically and further, which shall not consume current while the valve is at rest.

Further objects and objects which pertain to details and economies of construction and operation will definitely appear from the detailed description to follow.

I accomplish the objects of my invention by the devices described in the following specification. The invention is defined and pointed out in theclaims.

A structure which is a preferred embodiment of my invention is fully illustrated in, the accompahying drawing, forming a part of this specification, in which:

Fig. I is a perspective view of my improved regulating valve and electric operatin r means.

Fig. II is a detail side elevation View, the valve casing being shown in section on line 2-2 of Fig. I.

Fig. 111 is a detail diagram of the electric wiring.

' In the drawing the sectional view is taken looking in the direction of the little arrows at the ends of the section line, and similar numerals of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Considering the numbered parts of the drawing by their numbers, 1 is the supporting frame for my improved electrically con trolled valve, 2 is the valve casing of cylindrical form, 8 is the piston valve within the casing having a central annular port 4 which connects the inlet 5 and the discharge pipe 6.

Annular grooves 7, 7 are out towards each end of the piston and each end of the cylindrical casing is provided with a drain connection 8, 8. These are pipes and unite and discharge through the pipe 9. This permits of a slight leakage of the fluid being handled and avoids the necessity of a stufling box around the piston rod, thus reducing friction and permitting the same to operate with great freedom.

The piston rod 10 is connected to the actuating rod 11 of the solenoid by a flexible universal joint 12 (not necessary to show here in detail).

The solenoid is double being made up of a pair of coils 13 and 14 disposed side by side and separated by a partition 15 indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 11 and by a cross line in Fig. III.

The armature or core of the solenoid is adapted to be pulled by first one and then the other of the said coils and is thus reciprocated. These are connected to be operated alternately by actuating means such as a switch means operated by the lever 16 of a hydrometer,-see Fig. TH.

On the solenoid rod 11 is a switch block 17 adapted to be reciprocated by the action of the solenoid. Contact plates 18 and 19 are secured to this switch block, the plate 18 at the top not extending entirely to the outer or left hand end of the switch block 17 and the plate 19 on the lower side not exteniding entirely to the inner or right hand on Switch blades 20 and 21 are carried by the head 22 of the solenoid and are connected by connections 23 and 24L to the coils of the solenoid. The connection 22 is to the right hand coil 14. The connection 2a is to the left hand coil 13.

Current is supplied at 16 and delivered through connection 23 to the switch 20 and through connection 24 to the switch 21.

The double knife blade switch 25 and fuses 26 are provided for the manual control and protection of the electric circuits and devices,see Figs. I and III.

The electric solenoid means can, of course be made use of to either directly or indirectly operate a control valve. It is, however, especially adapted by direct connection to operate the balanced piston valve here shown and the structure makes practically a selfcontained unit for that purpose.

The piston valve can also be made use of with other means for actuating, although it lends itself especially to the particular combination with the solenoid here described.

It is clear also that the solenoid could be made use of without the matter of breaking the circuit to avoid the unnecessary consumption of current, but that feature is clearly of" special advantagein this rela-- tion.

I wish, therefore, to claim the invention in ltS-SPGOlfiOfOIIH' 1n all particulars, and also to claim the combination broadly and the 'rod, the armature thereof being of such length as to be reciprocated back and forth by the alternate action of the double coils of the said solenoid, a rod connection from the armature of said solenoid to the said piston rod, an axially disposed rod projecting at the opposite end or" said solenoid, an insulated switch block carried by the projecting rod from the said solenoid with contact switch members on the opposite sides and at opposite ends thereof, co-operating switch blades suitably disposed to be actedupon alternately by the switch members on the said block, connections froin'the said switches to the coils oi"- the solenoid, an electric supply delivered through the said switch alternately tothe said coils to reciprocate the armature and actuate the valveand cut off the current, and a switch means independent of said switch block, coacting as specified.

2. The combination of a suitable regulating valve, a solenoidwithdouble'coils, the armature' thereof being. of slick length as to be rec'iprocated back and forth by the alternate action of the said double coils, a connection from the armature of said: solenoid t0-tho said valve, an insulated switch block carried by the said solenoid with contact switch members at opposite ends" thereof, co-operating switch blades suitably disposed to be acted upon alternately by the switch members on the said block, connections from the said switches to the coils of thesolenbid', an electric su ply delivered through the said switch alternately to the said coils to reciprocate the armature and actuate the valve and'cu't 0H the'current, andaswitch means independent of said switch block, coacting as specified.

3. The combination of a suit'ahleregulating valve, a solenoid with double coils; the

armature thereof being of such length as to be reciprocated back and forth: by the alternate action of said double coils, an

electric supply with switch control for supplying current to the SAid'SOlQIlOld, a connection from the armature of said solenoid to the said valve, andindependen'tinsulating switch means supported and carried by the' armature of said solenoid t oalternately c0nnect the said coils to deliver cu rrent through the said switch alternately" to thesaidcoils to reciprocate the annatme and actuate the valveand cut ofilhe current, asspecified.

In witness whereof" I have hereunto set my hand and seal in the presence of two witnesses 

